Beef

Notes

ChuckRib Short Loin Sirloin

RoundBrisket and Shank

Short Plate and Flank

General info for most meats:

1. Fat = Moisture and tenderness (marbling)

two types – subcutaneous, intramuscular

1. High Connective Tissue = less tender meat

2. Increased exercise = increased muscle development, less fat accumulation and increased connective tissue = less tender

3. Each carcass is graded and then assessed for its potential to yield quality market cuts

The First Cuts:

• Following grading it is cut into several large pieces called PRIMALS

• Each primal is then cut into a few chunks called Sub-Primals

• Sub-primal are divided into the cuts purchased in the market

• NOT EVERY CARCASS WILL YIELD EVERY MARKET (fabricated) CUT, some cuts are combined to make other cuts

Grades of Beef:

the grade of an animal is based on the amount of fat

1.Prime – High in fat

• inter-muscular (between muscles and its fat cap)

• intra-muscular (marbling)

• Ex: Prime Rib, $10 to $12 per pound

Grades of Beef

• Choice – Moderate amount of fat

• Less inter + intra muscular

• Ex: “Standing Rib Roast” $7 to $9 per pound

Grades of Beef

• Select –

– Little intra muscular fat (marbling)

– Small or non-existent fat cap

– Lower end markets

– Ex: Roast $3 to $5 per pound

Typical Cuts from Choice Beef:

• Chuck – roasts, cube steak, stew meat, ground beef.– High connective tissue = moist heat methods

• Rib – Rib roasts, rib eye steaks, short ribs– Lots of marbling = very flavorful

• Brisket/Shank – corned beef, beef shank, pastrami– Very tough

Primals Cont…

• Short Loin the best steaks including fillet mingons

– Very expensive– Lots of marbling and quite flavorful

• Short Plate more ribs and lesser steaks– Relatively cheap– No marbling and heavily grained– Best marinated

Primals Cont…

Sirloin – roasts and steaks of various titles

• Tender and flavorful, but not quite up to the short loin

Flank – ground beef, flank steak, London broil

• Flavorful but tough

Round – roasts and round steaks of various titles

• Flavorful and fairly tender if cooked by moist methods

• Cuts become less tender the farther rear-ward you move on the animal.

Veal

• Beef that is less than 9 months old

• Fewer primals, due to the small size of the animal

• The meat is pale in color and very tender due to age, feed and limited activity